Indicating the differences between internet web pages

ABSTRACT

Software may be provided for indicating the difference between an earlier cached version and a current version of a web page. This saves the user the trouble of comparing the two pages to determine whether there are changes that would be of interest. For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the navigation bar of a web browser may include a button to allow the user to select a subtract or differencing feature. Once selected, the current version of a display web page is compared to a cached version of the web page and any differences are either highlighted or displayed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of patent application Ser. No.09/494,801, filed on Jan. 31, 2000.

BACKGROUND

This invention relates generally to Internet browsers.

Internet browser software generally provides a window which enables theuser to provide input commands for viewing Internet web pages. A numberof users use a bookmark or favorite system to link quickly to web pagesof interest. Thus, the user may repeatedly return to a given web page todetermine whether new information is available. Sometimes web pagesindicate new information by highlighting or otherwise pointing toinformation which is changed.

However, in many cases, the user is forced to scan through one or morepages at a given web site to determine whether there is any newinformation which may be of interest to the user. This can be a timeconsuming and laborious job.

Thus, there is a need for a simpler way to determine the differencesbetween web pages over time.

SUMMARY

In accordance with one aspect, a method includes causing aprocessor-based system to difference a cached and current version of anInternet web page. The difference between the cached and currentversions is then indicated.

Other aspects are set forth in the accompanying detailed description andclaims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a depiction of an exemplary web page;

FIG. 2 is a later version of the exemplary web page shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a depiction of a web browser display achieved by differencingthe pages shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a flow chart for software for implementing one embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a processor-based system in accordance withone embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a view of a web browser navigation bar in accordance with oneembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a webbrowser may include software to enable the differencing or subtractionof a cached web page from a currently available web page. Using thedifferencing functionality, one can determine what new features havebeen added to a given web page. This avoids the need to carefullyscrutinize the new page and to manually compare it to the cached versionof the web page.

For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, at the click ofa mouse button, one can determine what are the differences between theold and new versions. The viewer can then examine only the changes tofind the new information.

Referring to FIG. 1, an earlier version of an exemplary web page isillustrated. This page may be cached by the web browser. FIG. 2illustrates a later version of the same web page. Referring to FIG. 6, abrowser navigation bar may include an icon labeled “subtract”. When theuser selects the subtract icon on the browser window navigation bar, thecached web page, illustrated in FIG. 1, may be differenced or subtractedfrom a current web page indicated in FIG. 2. The result is thedifference between the cached and current web pages. The differences maybe displayed as indicated in FIG. 3.

Thus, in one embodiment of the present invention, when the user operatesthe navigation bar subtract icon, the cached version of a web page andthe currently displayed version are automatically subtracted. As aresult, only the new material contained in the current version isdisplayed, as illustrated in FIG. 3.

Referring to FIG. 4, the user initially launches a current web page asindicated in block 10. The browser then loads the current page from theweb server as indicated in block 12. When the user mouse clicks on thesubtract icon as indicated in block 14, the software compares the cachedimage for that web page to the current server image in one embodiment ofthe present invention. A display with the repeated information blankedmay show only the new information, as indicated in block 16.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the software may be providedas a plug-in to an existing browser. In another embodiment of thepresent invention, the browser software may be originally provided withthe subtract or differencing functionality.

With the subtract functionality, the user then has the option to togglebetween a display which shows only the new information, such as FIG. 3,and the current web page (block 18, FIG. 4). This toggling may beimplemented for example by repeatedly mouse clicking on the subtracticon on a navigation bar, for example. Selecting the subtract icon thefirst time may display the difference image. Selecting the icon againreturns the display to the current server image.

Referring to FIG. 5, a processor-based system 22 includes a processor 24coupled to a chipset 26 in one embodiment of the present invention. Thechipset 26 may couple a system memory 28, a graphics accelerator 30 anda display 32. In addition, the chipset 26 may be coupled to a bus 34 inturn coupled to an interface 36 which may be part of a chipset. Theinterface 36 in turn couples a hard disk drive 38 which may store thesoftware 20. The software 20 may, in one embodiment of the presentinvention, be an embodiment of a web browser or may be plug in softwarewhich operates with an existing web browser.

Comparison software is commercially available. For example, the NetscapeWeb Publisher compares different versions of a file. The output is ahypertext mark up language (HTML) file displayed in a web browser windowthat highlights where the versions differ.

Instead of merely displaying only the new material, the new material maybe displayed in a highlighted fashion. For example, new material may beunderlined or may be displayed in different color so that the viewer cansee the new material on the display of the current web page.

In still another alternative, instead of responding to the user'sselection of an icon, the system may automatically provide an indicationof the differences between the two web pages. For example, in oneembodiment of the present invention, the current web page is initially,automatically displayed with highlighting, indicating the new materialadded to the cached web page. This avoids the need for the user toselect the differencing functionality and still allows uninterruptedviewing of the current version of the web page.

In still another embodiment of the present invention, instead ofdisplaying only the new material, in one embodiment of the presentinvention, the new material may be displayed in one way and any deletedmaterial may be displayed in another way. For example, in one embodimentof the present invention, new material may be indicated in one color anddeleted material may be indicated in a different color.

As yet another embodiment of the present invention, the differencingsoftware may determine whether there are different links provided in anew version of the web page. Thus, the new links, indicated by uniformresource locators, may be identified separately from other changes inresponse to a user inquiry. As still another alternative, any new linksmay be highlighted in a special way, such as by a distinct color.

As still another embodiment of the present invention, in connection withweb pages which provide chat or feedback information, any new feedbackresponses, which have been received since the last time the responseswere checked by a user, may be highlighted or otherwise indicated. Forexample, in connection with stock comment pages, users may provide arunning commentary of chat responses or messages on a given topic abouta given stock. Instead of requiring the user to remember the user's lastviewed response in the series of responses, a differencing mechanism maybe utilized to determine the difference between the information lastcontained on the page and the information now on the page. Instead ofdisplaying all of the information, the user may be provided with a listof only those new comments received after the user last checked thepage.

If desired, the software 20 may also automatically or selectively cacheeach viewed page. This may ensure that a given page is available forsubsequent comparison.

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains materialwhich is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has noobjection to the facsimile reproduction by any one of the patentdisclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patentfiles or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rightswhatsoever.

While the present invention has been described with respect to a limitednumber of embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate numerousmodifications and variations therefrom. It is intended that the appendedclaims cover all such modifications and variations as fall within thetrue spirit and scope of this present invention.

1. A method comprising: providing a graphical user interface for abrowser application for a display of a processor-based system, saidinterface including a navigation bar with a selectable subtract buttonimage and a window to display a web page; in response to an initialselection of said subtract button image, causing said browserapplication to difference a cached version and a current version of aweb page and display the difference between said versions in saidwindow; and in response to subsequent selection of said subtract buttonimage, toggling between the display of said current version and thedisplay of the difference between said versions in said window.
 2. Themethod of claim 1 including blanking the common material between thecached and current versions.
 3. The method of claim 1 includingdifferencing the cached version and the current version when thesubtract button image is mouse clicked on.